THere is none so simple in iudgement, that doubteth the soyle of the Grammer to be the fairest & happiest of all the renoumed parts & prouinces of the world, aswell for the pleasantnesse of the place wherein it is situate, being in good and holsesome ayre, and aboundaunt in all fruites and other good things, withoute which this mortall lyfe may not easilye be passed: As also for that shée hath al­wayes and euer, béene the Nourse and bringer vp of all people of renoune. For euen as in this age, euen so long tyme heretofore, the custome and maner euer was in all landes and countries (except among the rude and barbarous nacions) [Page] where anye were espied of prone and readie nature, bent towarde forwarde wit, they were sent thither to be taught and instructed, and perfitly to learne the most holy and learned sciences: For by this onely way and passage is the entrie and accesse to the highest countries, and noble houses, as Dialectice (that is Re­thorike) Philosophie, that is learned wis­dome, & Theologie, that is the most high and excellent knowledge in diuinitie. In so much that vnlesse they enter tho­rowe the Prouince of Grammer, no soule were able to attaine to the worthy secreats of the other prouinces. And albeit that the same Regions abounde in all pleasure, yet not withstanding, it is so enuironed about with high moun­taines, and such sharpe rockes, right dif­ficile and harde to be got vp vppon, that hardlye without a good guide, any maye euer attaine to the plaine and pleasant path of them. And therfore bicause man­kinde shoulde not be restrayned from so necessarie a benefite, the good and lauda­ble custome euer was, and yet reasteth [Page] to the kings of the saide lande, to sende abrode through euery part of the vniuer­sall worlde, some of their expert knights and worthy Capitaines of olde bandes, properly called Pedagoges & Schole ma­sters, that they might ayde others, and surelye conducte them of tender age to the princelye pallaces of the saide kings, (as for the mightie, and suche as nowe drawe towarde age, hardely suffer to bée taught of anye,) to the ende that the youth there being taught in the sciences of the Gréeke and Latine Minerue, might the easlier and more lightly ascende and go ouer the foresaide countries. There haue all learned Grekes and Latins made their apprentishode, who by their worthy writings, or by the act of others, are immortalised with renoumed fame. Being there thus well taught and lear­ned, they haue afterwarde so florishing­lye liued through the high praise of their illustrious and splendant actes, that they liuing, were vnto all men in their time great setters forth of vertuous exam­ples and after they were deade (yet as [Page] aliue) shewed to those that suruiued the as it were by poynting with their fin­ger, the right path and readie way to at­tayned honorable life, & immortall fame▪

But although that this lande of Gram­mer be none other but indeuidate and withoute partialitie, yet neuerthelesse there are two mightie kings, that there raigne and gouerne, that is to wéete, the Verbe and the Noune. The Verbe hath to name Amo, and the Noune Poeta. Who a verye long time raigned toge­ther in such concord and quietnesse, that to fourme Oration perfect, wherin the beautie of them both (the highest place of the one, and the chiefest seate of the other) dependeth no dissention, displea­sure or contencion was euer hearde be­twéene them: For in all their territorie there grew nothing more estemed, more worthie, or more sounde, than Oration, which being beautified with the most coulors of sundrye flowers, and decked with the most faire and fine figures, and with the most swéete & perfumed Buds of set Roses, was of such singular com­linesse [Page] and aucthoritie, that she not one­lye drewe vnto her all mankinde (when the same is right and aptly applied) but may also withdrawe any of the Goddes which waye she will winde them. By reason whereof Euripides sayth. That which force coulde not gayne, that faire speache did soone attaine: Pirrhus also vsed sometime to saye, that Cyneas dyd winne more townes with his tongue and comelie speache, than he with hys warres. These two kings then being in such concorde, as all the affaires of Grammer were in good apparence and better estate, it happened that for a smal thing dissention sprang betwéene them, whereby vpon a verye sodaine, all was bewrapped in vprore and martiall dys­pleasures: For what harme is that that wine & insaciate eating cause not? That and so great amitie and vnion betwéene these two Princes was so ouerthrowne at one onely banquet, wherin they were both droncken: and ebrietie set them in so great ennimities one against another, that eyther of them, pricked forwarde [Page] with ambitious desire of regiment (as wilde Buls slong of gadde flies) almost vtterly euer turned their own realmes, and the noble empire of Grammer.

But nowe let vs shewe howe their de­bate happened, to the ende that euerye one may knowe, that there is no bande or knot of amitie so strong, that desire of superioritie may not breake. And ther­fore the olde Dennis vsed not causelesse to saye, that euen he that hath the Lord­shippe in his lap, hath cause himselfe to feare, and to beware of friendes: seing that it is certaine, that euery man loueth rather to be serued, than to serue other.

As these two Kinges on a time were at a banquet, in the middest of the hoate Summer, neare to a pleasaunt & cleare spring, hauing the water bancke on the one side, and the other most pleasant and singulerly shadowed with the braunches of gréene Willowes & high Plane trées, after they had sufficiently banquetted, warmed with wine, and lightned wyth drincking, a question arose betwene thē, to weete, whether of thē two were grea­test [Page] in aucthoritie & of most importance to performe Oration? Then the Verbe minding to holde the worthiest place, was sharpelye withstoode of the Noune, affirming, that without him, Oration and speach might not be, & that through him altogither, the same is vnderstoode and of better grace. And what dost thou (saide he) without me in Oration? if I withholde me a parte neuer so litle, the hearers vnderstande thée no more than one that were dombe & spake not. Ga­ther awhile a small part of speach wyth­out me, and do that the hearers may vn­derstande that which thou speakest. Doubtlesse if I be not there for an In­terpreter, none maye so much as gesse the least thing of thy meaning, More­ouer thou shouldest note, that in so much as I am elder than thou, so much more am I approoued worthiest. Who is he that knoweth not the Noune, before the Verbe: Or who is he that is ignoraunt, how the beginning of the Noune is more auncient than the Verbe? It is infalli­ble, that God made all things, who if hée [Page] made all, made also the Verbe. Nowe God is a Noune and not a Verbe: wher­fore nowe of consequence, by the Noune were all things made, yea, Oration it self was made of God, and so the Noune. As for thée, O thou Verbe (that arte so proude) thou hast thy calling of me: hast thou neuer red, that among the Sonnes of Women, is not a greater than Iohn Baptist? this is Gods sentence, it is not lawfull to go against it. Wherefore if none be greater than Iohn, for that it is writen that his name is Iohn, and agayn that his name was Iohn, it is apparaunt to be seene, that there is not, neyther may any thing else, be greater than the Noune. I coulde alleage to this matter sixe hundreth places, whereby it is proo­ued clearer than the day, that as in wor­thinesse and antiquitie, euen so in aut­thoritie & chiefe place the Noune is pre­ferred before the Verbe. Al which things I sette and leaue a part, to the ende that men thinke me not to precede the Verbe more thorow much babling, than of iust cause. O Poeta (aunswered the Verbe) [Page] I maruayled before nowe, why that Di­uine Plato had expulsed thée out of hys common Weale: But nowe knowing how shamelesse and light thou art, so to intermixe the holy scripture among thy follies: I know well that the learned & wise Plato iudged rightlye of thée. For had not he exiled thée with manye other, forth of the reipublike that he ordayned, thou haddest by thy false ceremonies, fearefull Goddes, and other things cor­rupted the ciuile maners of his citizens. For what pernicious thing durst not thy great pride & arrogance, enterprise and attempt? Yea seing that by thy deuised deceiptes, and false writhed witnesses, thorowe force writhed from holy scrip­ture, thou laborest to cast me down frō the dignitie of the chiefest place, which I haue long time in this lande possessed.

But certainly, for that it shall not séeme to thée, that thou alone arte learned, I will easlye alleage more manifest and plaine testimonies of y ^e same holye scrip­ture that maintaine mine aucthoritie, I wil set here for most the very beginning [Page] of that euangelicall Scripture, where it is thus saide. In the beginning was the worde, and the worde was with GOD, and God was the worde. Open thyne eares nowe, wherefore hidest thou thy face so? God (saide he) was the worde, and moreouer, all things are made by him: And withoute him nothing was made. It is not therfore the Noune then that made all things, but the Verbe. A­gaine, god was a Verbe and not a Noune. Moreouer, by the Worde the Heauens were made firme and sure, and all their powers.

What wilt thou now say? There is no meane to defend thée by holy allegati­ons, but y ^u maist perceiue them to make for me, and not for thée. But let vs bend to those poyntes that aptliest tende to our cause: Tell me I praye thée, whence commeth to thée this folly and madnesse? And whence hast thou so sodainly taken such stomacke and heart of grace, that thou darest vsurpe vpon thée the worthi­est place in Oration? Knowest thou not that all comelinesse, beautie and swéet­nesse [Page] commeth of me alone? and that the Noune is alwayes ruled of the Verbe, & not that the Verbe is ruled of the Noune. The comelye featnesse of the Verbe is that, that beautifieth and enricheth O­ration: and if I gouerne thee not there­in, thou shalt be halfe handed and of no force. Knowest thou howe to make a construction, wherin forthwith the chief place is not giuen me? Beholde all men knowe, that I onely that holde the seig­niorie ouer the Verbes, can without the aide of any other make perfect Oration. Wherefore then speakest thou so imper­tinentlye? And (as Horace sayeth) why throwest thou so thy proude and disdain­full sixe cornered words? who art thou? what art thou? of what force? or howe great? not of such aucthoritie as thou boastest of I am sure, that so goest puffed and swollen, that it is maruell thou bur­stest not in the middest. I am (thou wilt say) the King of the Nounes. But what is thy name? thou wilt aunswere Poeta. And what is Poeta other then a pratler, a seller of gaudes, a deuiser of fables, a [Page] maister of mischiefe, a brabler, a Lyer, a dronckerd, & a foolish dolte, that coloreth that which is truth, and putteth forth fal­shoode, and such a one as by thy pratling, fillest and perturbest all the worlde. Which also by thy chat vsurpest so much aucthoritie among the common and sim­ple sort, that thou darest striue for the dignitie against the renoumed stocke of the Verbes. Folishly do those fathers that giue thée their children to be taught of: for what is in thée whereby the youth maye be encited to grace and vertuous encoragemēt, but the Stewes of y ^e adul­terous Iupiter, the ielosie of Iuno, and the Whoordom of Venus, and of the Ruffian Mars, and such goodlye deuises imagi­ned of thine owne brayne, that hauing droncke a little more than well, thou, as filled with a deuine ghost, and ouer­laden with wine, madlike or diuelishly, darest mixe heauen with earth, & earth with heauen.

At these wordes Poeta the King, all fiered in Ire, not able to suffer the shame nor the iniurie that was sayde of hym, [Page] aunswered thus: O thou most mische­uous heade of man, darest thou speake so boldely such contentious things of vs? And there withall caught a Cuppe in his hande, which had violentlye hit hym on the face, had not one of the standers by, (holding him by the arme) tourned the stroke a part. It is not to be doubted now, that in y ^e rage wherein both partes were then, but that wordes were no blowes: but certaine of the elder sorte and wisest came vpon the same, and they bare away the sayde kings all droncken into their Pallaces: and on the morrow after y ^t the friendes of the parties were assembled, there was great enquirie and disputation of the contention happened the day before. Then of the parte of the Nounes was sharpelye blamed, the open throate & vnbeséeming talke of the king of Verbes, & the most part of the Nounes, especially the yonger of them, maruel­lously muttered, saying that the tongue of King Amo ought to be tamed, and to giue him to vnderstande, that the migh­tie maiestie of the Nounes was neuer [Page] subiect to such reproch and contumely.

But although the Elders that were thē there present, especially Terence, ad­monished them that nothing might bée vnaduisedly done, but that it was requi­site rather first to take counsaile than weapon in that point, following the wi­ser sorte: yet not withstanding, all the Nounes with their King, were so fleshed to fight, that it was forthwith fully de­termined and accorded to offer battaile to the Verbes: And therevpon was sent forth a Trumpet to the King Amo, assu­redly to denounce and indict open warre against him. On the Verbes parte was no wiser counsailes helde, for when all their nobilitie were come togither, ther was nothing else treated of among thē, than to defend the dignitie of the Verbes in the lande of Grammer, and to depresse & throwe downe the pride of the Nounes. And behold, herevpon came the Harolde of the King Poeta, who diligentlye de­clared the charge of his errande. They aunswered, that with good will they re­ceyued the defiaunce, and from thence [Page] forwarde all their mindes were bent wholy towarde martiall affaires. Af­terwarde the King of Verbes sent trum­pets and messengers to all nations and landes that were vnder his seigniorie, commaunding that all such as were able to beare weapon, shoulde be founde rea­die in good order at the day assigned.

First before all other came Quando the Duke of Aduerbes, with sixe of hys Capitaines, Ʋbi Quo Ʋnde Qua Quor­sum and Quousque. Quorsum and Quo­usque were companied with their bands, and vnder the first Ensigne were these renoumed Champions. Hic Illic Isthic Intus Fores Ibi Ibidem Sicubi Alicubi Ali­as Alibi Vsque and Nusquam. Vnder the seconde, Huc Illuc Istuc Intro Foras Alio Nequo Aliquo Siquo Illo Eo and E­odem. Vnder the thirde, Hac Illac Istac Alia Nequa Illa and Eadem. Vnder the fourth, Horsum Illorsum Istorsum Intror­sum Extrorsum Dextrorsum Sinistrorsum Aliorsum Aliquorsum and Deorsum. Vnder the fift, Hactenus, Hucusque, Eous­que Ʋsquemodo and Ʋsque nunc. To the [Page] sixt bande the Capitaine himselfe bare y ^e Ensigne, marching in the middest of his men, so that two of the saide bands were in the forewarde, and the other three at the taile.

Many other Aduerbes serued for fore­runners, and these discouered the wayes and serued for Partisans, the rest coue­red the wings and kept that the bandes marched not out of aray. The names of them are Peregre Pone Super Supra Inter Infra Extra Citra and Ʋltra, with many other. After them came other Aduerbes great of quality, quātity & nūber, among whom were those hideous swering Ad­uerbes: as Aedipol Enimuero Ecastor Me­diussidius & Profecto. Also the calling Ad­uerbes as Heus &c. y ^e answerers as Hem. The laughers as, Ha Ha He. The de­nying Aduerbes, Minime & Nequaquam: which Nequaquam, albeit he were vali­aunt & greatly trayned vp in the wars, was yet notwithstanding the most vn­true and deceiptfullest of them all, and woulde neuer say truth but thorow con­straynt: The Gréekes called him Holo­phant, [Page] which is as much as altogither a denier, or deceitfull interpreter: Many mo things could I report of this Ruffler Nequaquam, that most daungerous and hurtfull beast, but bicause that y ^e wordes at these dayes are not in common terme I willingly cease of thē, beleuing doubt­lesse that it is lost labour to warne the Shepe how he ought to kéepe him out of y ^e wolfes daunger. Now these Aduerbes were armed with thrée kinde of armure, for they had kynde for a buckler, signifi­cation for an headpiece, and figure for a sword. Many other Aduerbes came to y ^e ayde of their King as Indicatiues, Fre­quētatiues, Meditatiues, Diminutiues & Denominatiues, w ^t their bands, which were not to be cōtempned. The mighty lord of Nounes animales (being Nounes out of rule, y ^t beare great sway and lord­shippe in the borders of Grammer) were not last and hindmost: doubtlesse wor­thie men of Warre, but yet not able to holde their araye: they are called, Sum Ʋolo Fero and Edo. By reason whereof it was permitted thē to pitch their tents [Page] in anye part of the Campe where they woulde, least they might raise vprore a­mong the souldiers. The nation of the Verbes defectiues came also thither very braue, and in goodly order, Memini, Noui, Cepi and Odi: Also Vale Salue Aio In­quit Faxo Cedo, being all armed poynt deuice readie to ioyne battaile. After them folowed all the Verbes actiues, clo­thed in bone and brauery, with also the Neuters, with the Deponents, Cōmons & Impersonals: Al of them of sūdry fourms and straunge languages, & were armed with Genders Tenses Moodes Kindes Persons and Numbers.

The King Amo after he had thus as­sembled his host, pitched his campe in the wide playnes of Coniunctions, in a place called Copula, & encamped his host there, neare to the host of Disiunctiues called Sine: And deuided his Hoast into foure coniugations, giuing to euerye of them a meete place (except to certayne familiar Verbes who were encharged to beare the Baggage of the Infinitiues: Their names are, Incipit, Desinit, Debet, [Page] Vult, Potest, Iubet, Audet, Nititur, Tentat and Dignatur, with such lyke: this office was assigned them, for that they were willing therto, and had sturdie strength and abilitie. Last of all came certayne Verbes extract from high place, and of great dignitie, as Pluit Ningit Fulgurat Tonat Fulminat & Aducsperascit: brin­ging with them certayne bands of their most worthy Champions: But the Ge­rundes with the Supines, forsaking the Nounes, came and yelded to the Verbes.

When Poeta King of Nounes heard y ^e great preparation of his aduersarie, fea­ring to be surprised with some sodayne alarum, if he abode the furie and force of his enimies without purueyaunce to de­fende him, commaunded all the Sub­iectes of his Realme, that in the spediest maner they might, they shoulde make themselues readie to be in the fielde ar­med, and so aptly equipped, as in best wise were possible for them. Then to the aide of the king of Nounes, first came the Dukes of the Pronounes, as the nea­rest kinsemen, who for the most parte [Page] were often times Princes Ego, Tu, Tui, being of the Bloode royall, & of the stock of the Arsacides, with whome were, Me­us Tuus Suus Noster and Ʋester, Nostras and Ʋestras, Ille Ipse Iste Hic and Haec. Al the Pronounes were parted in manye fourmes, and vnder sundry Ensignes. Some were Primatiues, other Deriua­tiues, some possessiues, and some gentils. After them came the right worthy Ar­ticles, who had a long time haunted the warres, of which the first was Hic Haec Hoc: The seconde Hic et Haec: the third Hic et hac et hoc, armed with Genders, Numbers, Figures, Persones, and Ca­ses. After them came the graunde Ca­pitaynes of Interrogatiues, Infinitiues, & Relatiues, Quia qui que quod vel quid: and these ioyned to the host. These were the generall referenders of all the land of the king of Nounes, with whome were all the Relatiues and demonstra­tiues, deuided into two bandes: that is to wéete, in Idenditie, and diuersitie. In the first were, Is Suus Ipse Ille Idem. In the seconde, Caeter Alius Reliquus and Al­ter. [Page] The Prince of the accidentall rela­tiues was Qualis, vnder whome fought Quantus quot quotuplex quatenus quotenus quotisuriam cuias & cuigena. The Quéene of the Prepositions called Ad, came thither also with Ab & In, the husbandes of Nounes Casuals, & they brought with them thrée Ensignes of worthy Amazo­nes. Vnder the first were A ab abs cum coram clam de ê ex pro prae palam sine abs­que tenus, which serued to the Ablatiue Cases. Vnder the seconde were Ad apud ante aduersum aduersus cis citra cir­cum circa contra erga extra inter intra infra iuxta ob pone per propter prope secundum post trans vltra praeter supra circiter vsque secus penes, all seruing to the accusatiue cases: But In sub supra and subter serued to both cases, to wéete, to the Ablatiues, aswell as to the Accusatiues. Vnder the third were, Di dis re se an con, whose office was to puruey potatiō for the souldiers, for it was then Lent. Who albeit they were by composition inseparable, least they should at any time be voyde of that was enioyned them, were yet so incon­stant, [Page] that sundrye times they claue to the Nounes, & some while to the Verbes: and therefore they were accompted the common roges of the campe.

Nowe the Nounes thus deuided by bandes, marched in goodlye aray, that is to wéete, the Substantiues, likewise the Adiectiues, Nounes proper, appellatiues, and participles: After whome were the braue and rich comparatiues, superla­tiues, possessiues, patronymiques, gen­tils, (which were noble) numerals, and multiplying, which gouerned the out­warde borders. Euery of them were de­uided by fiue declinations, to wéete, by the first, the seconde, the thirde, y ^e fourth and fift, and they were all armed wyth kindes, genders, number, figures and cases. All the sayde bandes reduced in one, Poeta the King of the Nounes, caried his host into the same playne of coniunc­tions, and pitched his campe on the o­ther side of the saide riuer Sine: So that betwéene both the hostes was nothing but the Riuer: By reason whereof, sun­drye times there happened sharpe skir­mishes, [Page] betwéene those that went there to the water, notwithstanding yet with­out open battaile, for that had both the Kings forbidden, bicause all nedefull ne­cessaries for the warres, were not yet very readie.

Nowe eyther of these Kings coueted to induce to his parte the Participle: a man doubtlesse of very great aucthoritie through all the lande of Grammer, yea, in puissance and dignitie, altogither next & nearest the King: who without doubt was able also to cause victorie to whe­ther side he woulde winde him. By rea­son of this, aswell the Verbe as y ^e Noune, left nothing vnassayed, eyther of them hoping to haue him on their side. Poeta y ^e king of Nounes putting forth formost, wrote to him in this maner. I doubt not (O my brother) but that thou know­est with what pride and puffed stomacke Amo the King of the Verbes is risen a­gainst mée, and against the dignitie of Nounes, and by what lawe I minde to occupie the chiefest seates to construe o­ration: For which thing, seing that the [Page] same doth so much moue and displease me, I am forced to take armes and set souldiers in the fielde, that his pride be­ing beaten doune, we maye keepe oure seigniorie in his right, vncorrupted. And sithens thou knowest howe much thou art bounden to the nation of the Nouns, and what great benefit thou hast recey­ued of vs, as genders and cases, numbers and figures: Thou shalt therefore doe a worke worthy of thy faithfulnesse and friendship, if with thy men of warre and thy souldiers, thou come to ioyne with vs to defende our common Titles, our common ritches, and common hope. For if the dignitie and lordship of Nounes be destroyed, thinke not thou to finde anie sure place in all the lande of Grammer, and so fare well: Beseching thée to set forward thy coming in the spediest wise thou mayest.

On the other side, Amo the King of Verbes wrote to the saide Participle in this wise. I know very well (O deare brother) howe thou art by our enimies verye instantly solicited to be on their [Page] part, to warre against vs: And albeit that we haue hope, that by thy singular wisedome thou wilt not doe any thing so rash or vnaduisedly, yet neuerthelesse it semeth good vnto vs, to admonish and aduertise thée, that thou consider in thy selfe, what commodities thou hast recey­ued of vs, and what increase of dignitie the Verbes haue made thée, in making thée partaker of their Tenses and signi­fications, Numbers and figures. And if thou hast any smal benefit of y ^e Nouns, those that thou receiuest of vs are much more, yea and also greater. Thou shalt therefore doe best if thou repaire to our happie folde, not alone to keepe and de­fende vs, and the lordship of the Verbes, but also thou thy selfe, and thine. For thus thinke with thy selfe, that if I haue the worst, mine enimies will not with­holde them from running vpon thy lord­shippe and turne their victorious armes (which God forbid) against thée: that they all alone may with their mad will runne in and spoyle al the land of Gram­mer. Farewell.

[Page]The Participle after that he had red y ^e sayde letters of the two kings, thought nowe of the one, then of the other, and had sundry thoughtes in his heade, con­sidering with him selfe that he coulde holde part with neyther of them, with­out great and euident losse of his owne goodes. Contrarily if he shoulde séeme to minister, he might not onely enioye the fauor of them both, but also that he ra­ther wished, to see them low brought tho­rowe the hazard of the warres, that they being destroyed, he might afterwarde a­lone withoute resistaunce, possesse the sayde lande of Grammer: and therefore thought good to dissemble, féeding them with faire wordes, vntill he knewe who shoulde haue the better, therfore he wrot to them in this maner. I haue most pu­issant kings, receyued your letters, and I haue red them with great sorowe and trouble of minde, knowing that betwen two such princes so knit, is fallen such discorde, that you can not withholde you from ouerthrowing thorow cruell war, your owne lordships, and that renoumed [Page] empire. But wherewith are ye vexed? or what harme holdeth you? and whence commeth this madnesse? I beseche you for god his sake consider a little whither you go. Howe will our common eni­mies (those beasty citizens of ignorance, and that slouenlike people of Barbarie) reioyce, vnderstanding the strength of their enimies to be so wasted through their owne contentious quarelling? I adiure by the high Gods aboue and be­neath, that ye withholde you, & forbeare such deadly, mortall, and abhominable battayles, least that through a damnable desire of superioritie, you bewray in vp­rores and slanders the goodliest prouince of all the worlde. But if destinie will haue it so, and that you be so fully purpo­sed to debate your quarell by the sword, I purpose to take part with neyther of you, seing my lordship dependeth in part of the Verbe and in parte of the Noune. And for that I am greatly bound to you both, with what I can I will ayde you both with vitayles, munitions, and other necessarie things: But as touching facts [Page] of armes, I will withholde me, & I wyll cause my Souldiers to be assembled in armes, to kepe in at home, that through incourses no iniurie be done by any, on the frountiers of mine owne lande: I pray God giue you better coūsayle. Fare ye well.

And albeit that he had thus written to them, this subtill and wily for neuer­thelesse, through all possible meanes hée might, maintayned the quarell, and by his priuie letters incited the mindes of both nations egerly to ytche against o­ther, hoping thereby (as I haue said) that he shoulde easily attayne to the seignio­rie of the whole Grammer after their to­tall destruction. Then hauing assigned a day for his subiectes to be assembled in, was in a most trim and braue companie. First the Terminat in Ans ens dus rus tus sus xus, were there with the Nounes verball in Tor trix and such like, which were neighbors of the Verbes & Nounes, and ioyned with the Participles. Like­wise the Gerundes and Supines, to a­uoyde these ciuil wars, withdrew them [Page] also from the Verbes, and fled to the par­ticiples. These things thus appoynted, the Participle sent great giftes to both sides, to be alwayes and still in their fa­uour, and first he sent to the Verbe these vnder named neuter passiues. To wéete Gaudeo soleo audeo sio prandeo Coeno iuro ti­tubo placeo nubo careo moereo poto taceo and quiesco. To y ^e King of Nouns he gaue the ending in Tor and trix. He sent also for wagis to the host of Verbes an hundreth waggons of preter Tenses, of Present and future tenses. Item a thousand Ca­mels laden with figures, simples, com­posites, and decomposites: And to the Noune he sent by the riuer Siue, Tenne ships laden with nominatiue and geni­tiue cases, with as manye singuler and plurall numbers, and a great number of other, masculine genders, feminines, neuters comons and all. This done, he helde him in his country with his men of warre, awayting to whether side for­tune woulde tourne hir. In the meane while, these two warlike kings hauing verye well made prouision of all things [Page] necessary to giue battaile, awayted no­thing else than some trimme occasion to commence the warre. But it chaunced that two of y ^e worthiest townes of Gram­mer, (to wéete) A and V were taken vn­appointed by the king of Verbes, albeit that then all townes were indifferent­ly subiect, & payed equall tribute to both the sayde kings, asmuch to the one, as to the other, being moreouer in nothing more in seruice to the one King, than to the other.

When Poeta the king hearde this, he toke by the like policy thrée other touns EIO: The other hearing this, kept thē to their strongest watch, & keping their liberty, wer comon to both parts, whose names are, BCDFGLMNPQRS TXZ, and of them doubtlesse commeth all the force of Grammer. To eyther of the Kings were giuen two dipthongs to be their trumpets, for they were taught by sounde of trump, to moue the spirite of all the souldiers for to fight. Ae and oe serued to the King of Nounes, Au and eu to the Verbes. Beside this, certayne ies­ting [Page] or gibing women folowed both the hostes, that moued the mindes of y ^e soul­diers in sundry affections: for some wept and bewayled the slaughter that shoulde be among them of Grammer, yea & that they felt the same néere them alreadie, as Oh ah he heu and hei, other were dys­pleased, and reproued the contention of these kings, as Ʋah vae and atat. Other woundered of such dissention fallen be­twéene so great friendes, as Papae vahu & vha: other as fooles incited and encoura­ged the souldiers to fight, as Eia and E­uax. Moreouer, all the men of warre and souldiers being well appoynted and readie to enter into the battaile, it sée­med good to the king of Verbes that on his part gladly withall his hart he would withdrawe to commence ciuile warres, and to cloke his doing in or with some honest maner, wrote a letter to the king of Nounes, in this tenor. O Poeta thou hast well vnderstoode in what appoynt­ment and readie strength I am come downe to shewe my selfe in the fielde to giue thée battaile: & agayne thou mayst [Page] knowe that there are not in thée suffici­ent forces able to abide and withstande the violent rushing in of the legions of my men of warre: Therefore thou shalt doe wisely, if in leauing me in my estate thou withdrawe into thy territories. But if thou be so senselesse, that it must be had by the edge of the sworde, then know thou that thrée dayes hence I will be readie with mine host in the playne fielde to fight, there to receiue thee. When the Trumpets Au and Eu had giuen their letters to the king of Nouns, he aunswered them according to his coū ­saile in this wise. O Amo, thou euer hast to many wordes, but it is not nowe a time to amase the eares of the hearers with thy much babbling: thou boastest thy valiaunt host, and thy fearefull pre­pared ordinaunce, as if on our side wée had not but dwarfes and Grashoppers. Thy possession hath euer bene very lyt­tle in Oration: But yet thy follye lea­deth thée thither from whēce thou mayst not flie, vntill with that parte of lorde­ship (by thée wrongfully woon, worse go­uerned, [Page] and naughtely retayned) thou be by iust warre chased out. And for that thou shalt knowe how litle, not I onely, but mine, doe way thée, and how smally we feare thy threatnings, our Heraldes Ae and oe shal shewe thee their bare but­tockes if thou wilt: farewell, such as I wish thée: adewe to the Deuill for euer and aye.

By these letters the heartes of them poysoned one against another, did all a­wayte with fierie stomackes the last as­signed day of battayle. In the meane while, by occasion of suche troubleous time, there arose (as cōmonly doth in such businesse) a licence of most mische­uous déedes, and there went forth a com­pany of priuy pilferers through y ^e whole prouince of Grammer, seking their pray, and especially in wooddie places, and frō the hils espied the passēgers, and spoyled the vittailers that went to the Campes: Whereby great dearth and scarsitie of victuales daylye encreased in both the hostes. By reason wherof, certaine wor­thie capitaines, with sufficient number [Page] of souldiers were by the consent & decrée of both kings sent out to flea these robbers or else to driue them far out of the lands of Grammer. They being come thither, the souldiers did enclose a very thick wood, where they hadde vnderstoode that there were a great number hidden: so they be­set them, that one escaped not vntaken. A­mong whome was a certayne fellowe cal­led Catholicon that draue a great Asse la­den with Gréeke and latine words bound vp togither, and caried them into Italie. Item an olde Duns called Hugution, with a yong yonker surnamed Garlandia which also with a great one eyed Mule draue a waggon laden with false and brokē rules, and fowle fourmes not onely of olde phra­ses, but also of latine termes, wherewyth he hoped to be enritched in the borroughes & townes, selling them as precious things set in glasse, to make laten of glasse which might haue day séene through it. More­ouer this yoncker of Garlandia was found stuffed full of false peces of money & coun­terfait coyne, being base bullion, which he caused to be taken for good, being of an [Page] vntrue stampe which he had forged, and of the sayde money he had filled all the lande of Grammer. Lykewise there was ta­ken a great and greasie lasie lourden, that made himselfe be called Grecismus, that had made leane all the victayls that went to the campe, to stuffe a greate foule ranck stincking and rotten calues paunch with. There was also taken one Pylades, that had robbed all the wayes he went in, and was become ritche. All these were there bodily punished as they had merited, some quartered and made in pieces, some brent in the fire, other cast into the dongeons of perpetuall and stincking prisons. He that toke and punished Grecismus was a right worthy Capitaine called Toussan or Tu­san. The robberies of Pylades was dis­couered and debarred by a noble capitaine very well acquainted in the warres, which was called Iohn of Cuuella that so swelled that he was in perill to be dropsie, but one gaue him a short clister, that did yelde him in slender fourme, & more leaue and ea­sie to be borne than he was. All the rest of this robberous rable were destroyed, slaine [Page] and buried in a great and darke dungeon. Catholicon that among them was called the great, was brought to the campe wyth his Asse, who confessed on the racke (albe­it it were a thing manifest) that he had sto­len all these wordes in the lande of Gram­mer. Then when he was asked ought in Gréeke, he aunswered that he vnderstode not the Greke, and of the Latine but a ve­ry little. Then sayde the Iudges, where­fore cariest thou wyth thée Gréeke words, seing thou then vnderstandest not? Then he aunswered, there is so great ig­noraunce of learning with vs (saith hée) that albeit I speake grossely, yet can I ea­sily make them beleue that I am through lined in euery corner with all the eloquēce of Attica. All they which were there, hea­ring this, fel in a great laughter, and said: by saint George, seing that thou hast such hearers as thou hast, that which we know not the due owners of, thou shalte carrye with saulfconducte to thy people and na­tion: but that which we shall know to be­long to any, that we thinke good to be ren­dred to the due owners. Then after they hadde made diligent search, all the Gréeke [Page] words almost were giuē to Isydore, whose they were, and the remnaunt to the La­tines: to which businesse was appoynted the mayster of the trenchmen, called Cale­pin with the courteous capitaine Antho­nie of Nebrisse. The intermixed, rotten, and secret hidden words were giuen him, and so they permitted him to go his way with his Asse lighter laden than before: ne­uerthelesse they forbad him at any tyme euer after, to be so hardie as to call hym­selfe a Gramarian, except among the rude and barbarous people. In these busie bu­sinesse, one Priscian a very renoumed man, and of great honour in the lande of Gram­mer, for that he coulde not suffer the saide lande to runne in totall ruine through ci­uile warre and contention, hasted toward the campe in post to make an agréement, and being taken, was spoiled and sore bea­ten of the felonish felowship of Catholicon & was so wounded on the heade, that there was no salue able to heale him. Shortly after, among these felowes was taken one who falsely and shamefully sayde that he was an historiographer, and had gathered [Page] togither a great bundell of Iesting solishe gaudes in a great volume, called Supple­mentum Chronicharum, who forced tho­rowe question, confessed that all they were stollen things: and so he was exiled for e­uer into the lande of ignoraunce. As these things were doing, certaine of the Verbes anomales, as Sum volo fero, with thrée com­panies of their handmaides, made an as­sault and toke away a prisoner of the capi­taines of the Nounes named Caeter, which was of the race of Relatiues, and they toke him hidden with his fellowes in an em­bush, in what caue I knowe not, neare to the by path way of the coniunctions Quod and Quam, and him they slue with all hys singulers, his plurals seing the daunger they were in, made a vowe to Iupiter, to sacrifice him the remnant of their goods, & so they escaped hole and sounde miracu­lously. When tidings hereof were told to King Poeta, he was maruellously moued, and it greatlye greeued him to lose such a Capitayne: for this Caeter was very stout and ful of stomacke euen to the vttermost, and in feates of warre he had no péere. [Page] The king of Nounes therfore féeling him self greatly endomaged with y ^e losse of Cae­ter & his singulars, diligently awayted oc­casion whereby he might render double the lyke to his enimies. But fortune, who can in all thinges do very muche, and chiefly in warre, gaue hym shortly after the way to reuenge him of the wronge. For in those dayes many legions of Ver­bes of no small authoritie were taken pri­soners by certayne lyght horsmen of the Nounes. Among whō was dice, face, fere and duce, of the bande of the imperati­ues and commaunders. From whom thorough great ignomie was cutte away by the kings commaundement, the hyn­der skirtes of their garments, so that they shewed their buttockes, and so sent them away againe, so that euer since they were called only dic, duc, fac and fer. Afterward he commaunded that the prisoners should be slayne, namely, fuo, specio, leo and pleo: whose goodes were by the king of Verbes giuen to their lawful children, discending of them in right line, as fui, fuerā, fuissem, fuisse and futurus. And to the children of [Page] specio, who were a great number, as aspi­cio conspicio and such like: and also to them of leo & pleo, as doleo impleo cōpleo suppleo re­pleo expleo oppleo. At the very same season was bewraied a great treason to the hoast of the Verbes, how certaine horribe hoore­sons of the stocke of preterperfectes, being souldiers, to cloake their treason, and not to be knowen, were disguised after the maner of the Greekes, though they were of the Latin tong, and beyng taken, had two heades. These had cōspired and layd watch for the king of Verbes: but beyng taken and conuict of the fact, were decla­red traytours, and condemned of trespasse against the king, they were called momor­di cecidi cucurri pepēdi spopondi pepigi didi­ci pop [...]s [...] tetuli cecini peperi tutudi pepuli fe­felli memini pupugi and tetigi, from whom was cutte of one head at that present: so that wheras they were before time called, momordeo cecido cucurro, they be nowe cal­led mordeo cedo curro, and so of the rest. From tetuli were cutte of both heades, as well of the preter, as of the present tense: albeit that Terence through pitie thought [Page] to simon on the same agayne of the pre­ter tense with Baulme, but it helde not. Now as the time of fighting drew neare, the sayd kings set vp in the hyghest place of their host, a red cloake, to aduertise the souldiers that they shoulde shortly ioyne together in fight, that they might prepare and propose them selues thereto, takyng their repast, and whetting their weapons, might sharpē their munitions ready, with all other thinges pertaynyng to suche af­fairs. In the morning, after the souldiers had dined, on both sids without anynoyse makyng, the whole hoast assembled to the sayde place. Then when they had all raunged in battayle aray with displayed aucientes, the said kings besought and re­quired their souldiers earnestly to behaue them selues wel & worthily: but it was no néede, seyng that they of them selues were already fired ynough. For al as mad men shooke their pikes with so great & stout a stomacke, that they taried for nothing but to strike, & awayted nought but y ^e signe of the onset & alarme: & hervpon, behold, the trumpettes blewe the onset on both sides. [Page] On the other part the earth resounded and rang againe, & in both hoastes were made great shoutes and cries, the heades or both hostes made great vowes to God, and euery of them stomacked and chéered vp their souldiers. Then euery one dyd what he coulde and knewe to be done, they strake together with great han­dy strokes of swordes, brake their pikes, that the ayre rang againe of the cry of the fighters. In the ayre was nothyng séene but cloudes of smoke and brymstone: on both sides were great store wounded and of dead corpses plēty. O there was a good­ly sight to sée the Verbes defectiues (amōg the rest (fighting against the Nounes He­teroclites. These Nounes accompanied with their nominatiue cases, with their genders, also with their genitiues & plu­rall numbers, dyd fiercely lay vpon their enemies. The Verbes defectiues did stout­ly and couragiously withstande and put a­part these Nounes Heteroclites, with their indicatiues, accompanied with their pre­ter perfect tenses, so that by their coniu­gations they brake thorowe force, the [Page] numbres and genders of the other.

Of these Verbes there was one called aio, who vsing singular hardinesse, did for a long space resist two Nounes Heterocli­tes, so long that in the end being no more able to withstande their furiouse forces, lost diuerse of his persons, modes, ten­ses, and numbres, and then rested only vnto hym, ais, ait, aiunt, aiebam, aiebas, aie­bat and aiebant: the rest passed thorough the sworde.

As the hoastes were thus in fight there was such a mixture, that one knewe not an other, and they were al so fiered and fleshed to fight, that none of them al once perceyued the feareful earthquake y ^t was at that present, and in the same countrey there: yea such a one, and so great, that it destroyed the townes nere therto, turned the streames of mightie riuers the other way vpside downe, and thrust the sea into the floudes, and with his hideouse roa­ring, ouerthrewe the hygh mountaynes with a mighty fall. But let suche be styll, that accompt that for a tale: the accident that happened in that same sharpe & harde [Page] warre, wher the Romayns were so troun­sed by the Penoys, neare vnto the lake Trasimene, the citie of Croton yeldeth sufficient testimonie, whiche (as Lucan saith in y ^e booke of true narratiōs) was be­fore situate on the brynks of the shore of Trasimene, at y ^e very present, thorough a tempest of a whirle wind was transported into the mountayne, where it is at this day. Doubtlesse of this & such like exāples lately befallen, Titus Liuius may wel glo­rie in, for that he hath so great a testimo­nie to haue sayd truth: for that it is suffi­cient to confirme the thinges that he hath writtē. The ayre was obscured and made darke with the arrowes that the numbers singulars and plurals shot. The shot of the figurs composite and decomposite flew whistelyng so rounde & rightely into the eares of euery one, that they were all as deafe. A great number were hurt by the dartes of the kindes of primatiues, and deriuatiues. The trumpettes lykewyse that went on euery side sounded a feare­full and terrible Taratantara, so that the sounde thereof encouraged the fighters [Page] maruellous ful of stomacke and hardy, to beare the blowes and sturdie strypes of their enemies. And these troublous ray­ling women, the interiections that went about the arayes, vexed and sore trou­bled them all, through their moued and fickle affections: Among whom for the most part ware often hearde these pitiful and dolorous cries, heu and hei oh ah eh. Notwithstanding this warre was more fierce and cruel than long in fighting, and had it not bene for great aboundaunce of rayne, that thorough a sodayne storme and tempest which fell from the cloudes e­uen at that present, made the medley to depart and breake off. Then doubtlesse had there bene an ende of al the forces of Grammer. Such and so great was the fu­rious rage that they had euery one of them, one against another, yea vntill that pointe, that albeit the trumpettes soun­ded the retraict on both sides, and they all greatly encombred with the water, might neuerthelesse be vnmingled and separate asunder one from another, to returne them vnder their ensignes.

[Page]The victorie aboade doubtfull and in­certayne, neyther was it knowen of any, whether had the better or y ^e worse, for on both sides there was a maruellous ma­ny, as well of sore wounded as of slayne, not only of commō souldiours, but also of the hie and chiefe captaynes. It is not pos­sible for any to tell the great losses that were theron both sides. Notwithstanding I will assay to shewe playne and many­festly, and in the openliest maner I may, that which some did winne or lose there, (though I can not say of euery one in particular) this will I do, to this end, that they that come after, may therto take héede. First the parte of the Verbes defec­tiues, in fight lost all them that were des­cendent from him, all his genders, tenses, modes, persons and numbers that were of the fourth coniugation, of figure compo­site, and of the singular number. He hym selfe (as God woulde) escaped safe, for seyng hym selfe in perill, he made a vow, that of no coniugatiō of mariage, he wold after any more beare the liuery: & there­fore he was at that brunt so sore feared, [Page] that since he hath bene very seldome séene publikely in the land of Grammer. Fore was bereft & robbed of al his goods, except fores foret & fore, which are of the optatiue mode, of the third coniugation, vale, aue, salue, of y ^e kindred & stocke of the impera­tiues (lost a great many of their fellows) whiche are yet lyuing, the rest were lost. Faxo of the same stocke of actiues escaped only with thrée of his, al y ^e rest of his band after him were slayne, except faxis faxit & faxint, who saued them selues with him by flighty footing. Inquio of the stocke of the neuters, kept inquis inquit inquiunt inquam inquies inquiet inquient inque and inquam. The rest perished in the warres. Inquiens at that time was with the parti­ciples wherof he happened well. Apage and apagite when they had lost all their fel­lowes, escaped alone. Diet lost also all his fellowes except diescit. Facio was put from his sonne facior, who notwithstan­dyng before he dyed, dyd constitute by knightly testament an heire fio. Posco disco metuo timeo renuo respuo compesco vrgeo lin­quo, and all they of the race of the actiues, [Page] lost their supins. Some Verbes lost their preter tenses of the thirde coniugation, and in place of them, they after recouered the pretertenses of the fourth coniugatiō: among whom was, cupio peto quaero arcesso facesso and sero. Some Verbes hauing lost their future in am, to the ende that they woulde not thencefoorth wholy lose the hope that was to come, bought other fu­tures in [...] at the faires of racana, as eo queo and v [...]neo (but Horace by his auctho­ritie gaue to lenio lenibo,) al Verbes belon­ging to beautie lost all their supins, amōg whom was lucco fulgeo splendeo polleo and such like. Fulcio vsing a singular hardi­nesse escaped out of peril, & held his fultum, but seyng we haue recounted & told of thē that receyued losse, it is not mete to holde of no accompt these Verbes, that behauing them selues wel & worthily had both spoi­les and dignities, whiche they receyued of their king, beside these others that they first had & enioyed: among other were ele­uate & set vp in great honor, caeno iuro ca­reo ma reo nubo and prādeo: for beside their owne preter tenses, they receyued also the [Page] preter tenses of the passiue voice. Redimo was enriched in his fiue senses of nature, & at that presēt obteyned foure significati­tions, as to deliuer, to leade & gouerne, to decke and ornate, & to take to ferme. Solor wan thrée significatiōs, as to be alone, and to cōfort & exhort, explicat, beside his own sense which is to explicate and shew foorth playnly, receyued, that he might declare, shew, that he might drawe, that he might represent & deliuer. Valeo beside his owne sense, which is to be in health and whole, wan so much, that when he sayd vale, that he might salute also, & sometime curse too. Presto had foure significations as, to lend, & to be aloft, to do good, and hold promisse, with diuers other significations. Haurio was as much enritched, for he had foure significations, as to draw out, to wounde, to heare & sée and diuerse other such lyke, and all they when néede is are reduced in one. Pasco receyued two vnderstandinges, to féede, and bring vp. Ʋaco albeit he med­led not much among the fighters (for as Socia sayth in Plautus, the fiercer they fought the faster he fledde) neuerthelesse [Page] fortune that oftentymes giueth rewarde to the slouthfull, woulde enriche his co­wardise with the best of the spoiles: for as he espied certaine of his enimies that wer fled and gone away, he crept out of his ca­bin and cloked them in his fist: who after bought them againe with a great summe of siluer, and he wan beside his owne for­mer sense seuen other, to wete, to vnder­stande, to leaue of, to serue, to be super­fluouse, to be lawfull, not to haue, and to be empty. Studeo wan thrée significations, as to sollicite, to desire earnestly, and to be very paynfully busied. Pango receyued thrée senses, as to sing, and hath giuen to panxi in his pretertense to make truces, and hath gyuen to pepigi to fasten & ioyne together. Sapio from that day had two sen­ses, to wete, to giue knowledge, and to be wise. Fero one of the foure anomales gay­ned thrée senses, as to vphold, to desire, and to beare. Confiteor had thrée senses, to praise, to purge, and to make manifest. Su­pero receyued seauen senses by reason of the great aucthoritie that he had among the Verbes: as to remayne in part, to o­uercome, [Page] to be neare, to go further, to es­cape, to ouerliue and excéede. Some Ver­bes there were, whiche hauyng lost their owne preter tenses, had of their king the goodes of other Verbes passiues whiche were slayne at the battayle: as audeo fido gaudeo soleo and fio. These pestiferous and perillous lying Verbes, whiche alwayes haue in their heart and minde other than in the mouth, albeit they had no parte of the praie, ye tought not they and their names to be left in obliuion, but spoken of, to the ende that euery one might know them, and so beware: seyng that alwayes vnder the colour & cloake of doing, they beare the passiue voyce: they are called exulo veneo nubo liceo and vapulo. This last of all is the most wily and subtillest: and therfore so muche wyser as the boy is, so muche the more héede wyll he haue to de­cline his wily ambushes, yf he haue good care to kepe his buttocks. Now seyng we haue already shewed as well as we are a­ble, that which happened to the Verbes, it semeth good in our accōpt that we speake also of the Nounes. Ouersight was made [Page] in and thorowe the hoast of the Nounes, and it was found howe fortune had bene as muche diuerse to one parte as to an o­ther. And to the end that we begin by the positiues, there was certaine of them, that beyng hurt in their comparatiues, recey­ued dressing & cure through the diligēce of certayne expert phisitians, as melior minor dexterior [...]sterior plus magnificētior, & mu­nis [...]tior al irregulate, & descending of the second declension. But pius arduus egregius tenus and such lyke, lost their owne com­paratiues. The Nounes ending in er, lost ruus, in their superlatiues: & for the same they had rimus, as tener, and saluber. To o­thers for that they had lost simus was gi­uen limus, as humilis facilis gracilis similis agilis, and to vetus was geuen veterrimus. Among trées were certayne Nounes, that quiting thē selues manfully, by a sodayne miracle chaunged altogether at once their kinds, becōming of females, males, euery one astonied at the sodayne case, demaun­ded whence came suche transformation to them: of them were rubus and oleaster, which Titus sayth were euyll and vnluc­kie [Page] tokens, and therfore affirmed he that they ought to be cast into the bottome of the sea, or else to be exiled out of the lande of Grammer. But the king Poeta iestyng at the fende superstition that they had in the miracles, dyd prohibite all and euery of them, to harme, or any way to hurt them: saying that it was not an euyl signe, or vnhappy accident to be chaunged from women into men: sayng that out of anoughty and croked kind, they were tur­ned into a good and better. From certaine Nounes heteroclites, fighting against the Verbes defectiues, were cutte away both coddes and cullion in the plurall numbre (from whiche peryll God saue vs) so that afterwarde there was in that number founde neither man nor woman but chast neuters: whiche doubtlesse is a thyng greatly to be pitied. Their names were sibilus auernus infernus menalus supparus baltheus tartarus dindimus, other had bet­ter chaunce: for when in the same number they were neuters, wer glad forth with to sée them become males: as porrum rastri­fr [...]num and coelum, But these sayde po [...] ­mum [Page] and rastrum, as they went thorowe Rome, founde in the markets of Agona their neuter plurals, & there they bought thē againe with a great summe of money, and gyuing leaue to the mules, loued bet­ter to hold them to them there. Balsamum among all Nounes and trées above only a neuter: by reason wherof seyng that he coulde not beget nor bring foorth yong, is in so great scarsitie that he is no where séene but in the lande of Iuda, which is the cause (as sorowefull) he yeldeth his fruict all in teares: as for other Nounes that were bereft of their plurall neuter, recea­ued the feminine for amendes, as epulum ostreum vesper and cepe. But truth is, of all creatures the oysters only were neuters: but aboue al aucthors Plinie, & the poetes holde them for neuters, wherefore Ouide sayeth thus: Ostreaque in conchis, tuta fuere suis, so that afterwarde they gayned so, that they became as muche feminine as neuters: others that were of the doubtfull gendre, receyued the masculine in their plurall numbre, as Cardo, bubo, and suche lyke, other that were spoyled of all their [Page] cases plural, abode euer since dismembred and maymed: among whom, were sumus limus funus puluis sanguis mundus pontus sol sal and vuus, all of the masculine gendre. Hardly is séene any tyme more than one Sunne in the firmamēt, but when it hap­peneth so, it is not naturall, but rather wonderful, likewise also certayne femini­nes lost their plurall cases, as lux sitis la­bes mors vita fames tabes gloria fama salus pax humus lues tellus senecta soboles iuuenta indoles proles.

These fought so febly in the hoast,

That all their plurals there they lost. Other feminines lost at the sayd conflicte their singular nūber, as argutiae habenaebigae blanditiae cunae delitiae exequiae excubiae exu­uiae phalerae facetiae genae gades insidiae indi [...] ­ciae caleridae lachrymae latebrae minae, & many others. Other neuters were spoyled of all their plurals, as coenum foenū auus solū pus and virus. Furthermore other wer put frō al their singuler frends: as arma castra ex­ta cunabula cōchilia crepundia pas [...]a moenia mapalia magnalia ilia seria precordia and sponsalia, yea and almost all the names of [Page] feastes, as Naturnalia Dionisia Aphrodisiae B [...]cha [...]lia, Floralia and Neptunalia, and all the names of metals, especially aurum & argentum, which euery one laboured to take prisoner, and likewise aes s [...]ta & aera in three cases. In lyke maner for the great heate and alteration of the combat, the measures were spoyled of the pluralitie of their liquors, except of wines, and honies, which to the plurall cases were spared, to the ende that they myght do kyng Poeta service with newe wines: for that he lo­ued them well. Oleum and frum [...]tum, by like misfortune were so gluttonnous, that thorowe the great scarsitie that was in the hoast, they wer not found in pluralitie. O­ther aboad shortened in y ^e ende of their ge­yltines and d [...]tines plurall, as [...]hrathura [...] and sera. Yet neuerthelesse all Nounes had not the worse part: for diuers of [...] of the spoyle of their enimies: [...] [...]herof they were of greater au­thoritie [...] before, so that some receyued other nominatiue cases beside their for­mer [...] w [...]tch also hath arbos: honor which hath ho [...]os: od [...]r which hath odos: cu­cumer [Page] which hath cucumis: cin [...] which hath einis, and pulue [...] which hath puluis. Not­withstandyng they occupy these not al­wayes, but kepe this share for hie feastes, as for trim & nice decking for honor sake. Plaga albeit through hurring he bled, yet wanne he foure other senses without ac­compt of the first, (that signifieth a woūd, or hurt:) as whē he would say the arming cord of a net, also a great space of the hea­uen and earth (called clima,) also a great kind of linen, such as the old matrones of Rome ware when they went in the citie, & also for a bed, or any part of a bed, Opus the same day wan there thrée senses: for opus signifieth earth: vnder opus he giueth ayde, vnder opibus riches. The gerundes and supins, bicause they were so often fled to the enimy, were amerced to fine after the treatie of peace was made betweene both the sayde kings, through the earnest complainct and supplication of Demosthe­nes who alleaged the lawes of Solon, by which it was commaunded, that such wer to be put a part from all honor and offi­ces, that in any sedition had not holde the [Page] part of the one nor the other: for that such a one thinketh altogether of his owne bu­sinesse, and re [...]keth not of the common wealth: the greatest part then in the lande of Grammer lyued after the lawes of A­thens. Afterwarde therfore the king of the Verbes left to the gerundes no more but only thrée cases, takyng away from them for the trespasse of their default al their o­ther cases. To the supins only were re­serued but two: whiche greatly greued all them of Grammer, sharpely blaming such a sort of foolish preceptes of Solons lawes, as much as the fonde reasons of Demo­sthenes, whom they iested at, saying, that he had left (his cunnyng at home) his di­staffs bandes and woull, and that he had not fained squint eied disease in vaine, to haue yerely reuenues and preferment: bycause he hop [...]d not to haue so much mo­ney of the gerundes & supins, as he some­time had had of Harpalus. Surely yf I woulde describe forth all the losses & mis­fo [...]tunes orderly as they ought to be, and also all the conquestes of the worthinesse of euery one that changed in that day, my [Page] matter would be to long. And therfore I will here make an ende, and this may suf­fice, that what so euer is foūd lost, wasted, or ioyned to, and growen vp through all the lande of Grammer, and his borders and vtter limites, is wholy procéeded tho­rough the same harde, hideous, and mor­tall fight among them. In the same tyme of the warres sprang vp many new wor­des, and sundry olde were put apart and reiected. And had not three honest persons ben chosen for arbitrers (of whom we wil speake hereafter) whiche by their power and abilitie withstoode the naughtinesse of certayne Grammatistes or slender grā ­mariās, so great barbarousnesse had then ben mired thorough the Latin tong, & the same then ben so myngled with foolishe woordes, that all hope had ben lost euer to restore the same againe in his honor, and comely beautie. Therefore after that the retraict was blowen of both the hoastes, and that they had numbred as well the wounded as the slayne, and had knowne the great losse that was of the hoastes, they all began and fell to sighing: and the [Page] sight of suche a slaughter of their people greatly greeued them, through desire of su­perioritie. Wherefore euery of thē repen­tyng, sought nowe nothing else than to make peace. And first of all Poeta seyng of Nounes after he has called his souldiers (but [...] without teares) sayde these wor­des. I thinke well that you knowe (O my Fellowes) how dolefully, and against my will, I haue taken araies to defend & vp­hold the honor (as euer [...] I thought) and the authoritie of the Nounes ag [...]inst our brethren the souldiers of the Verbes: and in ho [...] many kindes I haue [...]sayed to de [...]r [...] and put of [...]ong from betwéene vs the warres, and they to leaue vs s [...]ct in our [...]. But when I thinke not on­ly at ou [...] [...] losse, but also of theirs, a­gaine when I beholde the dead corpses on both sides. I haue greater desire to lament than to speake. Therefore it behoueth vs to remember that, which some of our good olde citizens and Burgeses wrote of the discorde and civile warres, as well of the Romaynes as the Grekes, and howe with great reproches they blame & detest the [Page] ambition of them. In good fayth if we had thought of this at the first, we neuer had gone to so great folly, neither had we al­so as blinded with anger and rage franti­kely and as voyde of reason, torne our proper fleshe so with our owne handes as we haue. But (as an other fayth) that which is done and past, is easier to be re­proued than amended: neuerthelesse it is better to stay thus than to followe on a noughty beginnyng: for yf we wil be so mad as to fight with our selues thorough­ly to the ende, doubtlesse then is the prin­cipalitie of Grammer vtterly come to con­fusion, and then shall be gyuen so great an ouerture and entrie into the same to the Barbarous and ignorant people, that as they will they shall rule all: seyng none shall resist them, and go before to preuent them. By reason wherof (O my fellowes) for the comoditie of both realmes I am willingly determined to aske peace with the king of Verbes, and of myne own frée will, will go toward him and giue him my hande. Notwithstanding, thinke not here by that I speake it for that I haue lost sto­macke, [Page] or for that I am timorous: but bycause there is nothyng more sure that the affayres of the Nounes & Verbes can continue, vnlesse they be friends together knit & quiet in one: of my selfe I [...] mine office, not doubting but that I teache you that, which serueth to the cōtinuing bene­fite & commoditie of euery one in general, being ready willingly to do what your wil is. God graūt you aid in al your enterpri­ses. The profitable oration, & no lesse ne­cessarie s [...]ying of the king, greatly pleased all the assembly, and all the [...] of the souldiers cried aloude, that that which the king had so wysely spoken might be right diligently done. So there was four from the campe of y ^e Verbes for Embassadours certayne of the wysest of them: & so lyke­wyse of the chiefe of the Nounes: who hauyng first made without much difficul­tie a truce, finally came in such agrement with the king of Verbes, and his greatest lordes, that thrée personages shoulde be chosen which should be exactly séene, and well vnderstanding in all customes, rules and termes of Grammer: and that at their [Page] award and arbiterment, (after a solemne othe sworne theron) both parties shoulde hold them and their rest without any con­tradiction. Great was the difficulty, and much more was the disputation, to whom the charge shoulde be gyuen to make the treatie of y ^e peace. Many procured meanes to haue the same office on them, and to di­uers was the voyce gyuen, & other againe toke it from them: In the ende it was a­gréed by Priscian, Seruius and Donalt, and also by al the others cōsenting, that those vndernamed, should haue the charge and authoritie to knitte and make sure the ar­ticies of the peace: that is to wet, Phedra, Volatteran chanon of S. Peters churche, a man of great eloquence, and better know­ledge. Item Peter Marse chanon of sainct Laurence in Damascon, a ryght learned man, and Raphael Lippe Florentine, and a great Orator, who beyng sent for, came to the campe, and hauing there hearde the reasons on both sides, & diligently waying the businesse of the matter, in the end pro­nounced this sentence. To the kinges of Grammar to their gentlemen, to their ci­tezens, [Page] and to all studentes to their good happe and comodities be that which now is discussed. We thrée mē deputed to take away the contencious discords, put a part from vs all the slaunders, wrongs and do­mages that heretofore haue come vppon the kinges of Grammer, & their souldiers, all which we reuoke, take away, and blot out: whiche if they may not be forgotten, at the least our decree is that they be ne­uer hereafter more spoken of. Item that hencefoorth when a solēne oratiō cōmeth to be made, that then both the kinges of Grammer in good agrement with their subiects come together, as Verbe, Noune, Pronoune, Participle, Aduerbe, Coniunc­tion, Preposition & Interiection. Item we appointe that in common and familiar speache, the Noune, and the Verbe only do beare the burden, takyng for their helpe whether of them they will, but to leaue the other by, so the ende that beyng put to oftē in worke they be not molested. Item we [...] y ^t the Noune serue to the verbe, and when he goeth formost as touchyng the case, ought also to be gouerned of the [Page] verbe, but in speach, that the Noune be be­fore the verbe, and the same beyng after ought therfore to gouerne the Noune tou­ching his case: but con [...]erning his persons & numbres, the verbe ought to giue place to the Noune, Pronoune, or Participle. Itē we appoint that the Participle beare reue­rence to the Noune and the verbe, & haue the gouernement of the verbe before hym first, and that of the Noune after him last. Furthermore we permit y ^e verbe to make oration him selfe alone in the seconde and thirde person, & to put out a part certayne verbes of action if néede require, for that he represēted not the Noune, but that he re­presented him selfe only. This sentence was gyuen and published in the presence of both parties, & it pleased very well all the assemble, and hath since euer bene ob­serued of all the inhabitantes of Grāmer. Also the studie of Italie haue approued it: and in especiall the learned vniuersitie of Boloigne the most louing mother of good & forwarde mindes: whiche hath giuen to the court of Rome not only so many other great personages, but also euen in this [Page] tyme that same ryght learned Alexander Zambecco, whiche neuer fletes from the right point, thorowe hope or feare. The vniuersitie of Paris obseruing the rest, cra­ued then for hir studētes, that they might pronounce Nounes & Verbes at these plea­sure, and that without any regarde of the quātitie of sillab [...]es. But bicase betwene the relatiues and antecedentes, betwene the adiectiues & the substan [...]ues, betwene the word rege [...] & the gouerned, betwene the [...], and determined, and al­so betwene perfect speache and imperfect was an olde quarel, striuyng whether of them were chiefe and greatest: it was also concluded to ioyne them in vnitie, that the relatiue of substaunce identitale, shoulde agrée in gend [...]e, number, and person, with his accid [...]t. Item that the adiectiue should obey to his substantiue in case, gendre, & number: and that the gouerned worde shoulde followe the nature of the gouer­ning: and that the relatiue of the accident shoulde onely represent the antecedent in such accident or propertie, in what maner the referred, and the referrent agréed by [Page] rule of diuersitie with the antecedent: and that the speache imperfect should depende vpon the perfect, & the specified worde, of the specifieng, & betwene two adiectiues, two substantiues, two verbes of the infini­tiue mode two perfect speaches, & betwene two imperfects to be no bonde of seruice. Furthermore the said Peter Marse would, that betwene sayings and doinges might be made a peace & agreemēt: but the aduise of Phedrus was, y ^t if that discordwer once taken away, the Barbor surgions and ta­uerne kepers, shoulde not haue wheron to be occupied, wherfore they left that thing euen as they founde it. All studentes of ignoraunce, with these Bassards of Bar­bary were by commaundement exiled for euer out of all Grammer. The Barba­rouse were chased beyonde the Alpes into their cities and borough townes: but the ignorant thorough the fauour of some princes are bred not onely in and through Italie, but also in Rome that mother of good letters: and there whether she will or no, do they continue: among whom there are some beyng pourueyed of fat liuings [Page] so dull headed and do [...]tish and so ignorant in good letters, that if ye aske them Amo qu [...] par [...] they w [...]s [...]y, partat [...] [...] chio vi intenda, so much a [...]ssery they surpasse in ignoraunce the great mules whereon they are so highly got vppe. Moreouer there was giuen irreuoca [...]le power to the deputed by the strong & same counsell of them al to search out, to punish, & exile (as things of nature counterfa [...]ct) [...] [...]sa­uored wastere of Grammer, as [...] La­tins, halfe Grekes, & they [...] [...]es that they thought to be pres [...] to the honor and aduaūcement of al [...] letters. And to the end that they [...] the easier & more lightly execute their [...], were commaunded forthwith to [...] the Romayne court whereas more filthynesse and or [...]ure, and more mischeuous nough­ty pranckes are displayed, their [...] and honest people spring on those parts, which power is knowen & [...]righthed by great pri­ueledges of Emperors, & learned bishops, & especialy by Iulius that reuerent father, the su [...]ours of whom God vouchsafe to make his beloued children.